Health

The Madison School & Community Recreation department’s FIT2GO Van carries with it activities like hula hoops, a large-scale building block set, ball-tunneling game and more. MSCR, a branch under the Madison Metropolitan School District, offers many recreation programs for all ages.

The van was out Friday afternoon at Leopold Elementary, getting kids moving and having fun.

Kids jumped through hula hoops, built with large-scale blocks and made a ball tunnel course at the launch celebration from 1:30 p.m. on the Leopold playground on Post Road.

MSCR Executive Director Lucy Chaffin said the FIT2GO van takes fitness and movement to neighborhoods in Madison that need a more active approach to youth programming.

“MSCR sees the FIT2GO van as an excellent tool in fighting the national obesity crisis and getting kids in Madison more active”, Chaffin said.

Imagine a small group of domestic terrorists attacking local infrastructure, leading to injuries and death, a disruption of daily life and instilling fear among area residents.

It's a scenario most people don’t want to think about, but 140 personnel from 37 healthcare and hospital facilities across Wisconsin recently dealt with that scenario during an intensive, week-long training program at the Center for Domestic Preparedness in Alabama.

The center provides emergency responders with the skills they need to respond to and manage incidents and is funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. This allows participants to attend at no cost to their employers.

St. Mary’s Hospital sent four employees from its emergency preparedness committee to participate in the experience where attendees received extensive training related to their professions before coming together for the simulated terrorist exercise.

One certainly doesn't seem like a number that makes a difference, but when one becomes two and so on, it can be. That's what employees at St. Mary's learned first hand.

Collection bins around the hospital encouraged employees to donate their used or no longer needed eyeglasses.

Last year hospital employees donated around 150 pairs of eyeglasses. This year they increased their donations by 30 percent to a total of 195 pairs.

The Lions Club collected the eyeglasses and took them to the Lions Eyeglass Recycling Center in Rosholt, Wis.

There, the items are cleaned and sorted by prescription strength. The glasses are shipped to developing nations where they will help people who otherwise may not be able to afford or have access to prescription lenses.

St. Mary’s Mission Awareness Team and Pastoral Care Department offered a candlelit walk through the hospital's labyrinth last month to celebrate the solstice.

Staff, visitors and patients were invited to take a peaceful, meditative stroll through the labyrinth to reflect and rejuvenate on June 21.

Hospital representatives said lemonade was served and luckily the rain held off until the event was almost over. Before the drops fell several staff and visitors took the opportunity to slow down and reflect.

Dane County officials declared a slow/no wake order for two Dane County lakes, according to a release.

Dane County Executive Joe Parisi and Dane County Sheriff Dave Mahoney have signed a declaration calling for a slow/no wake order on Lake Monona, including Squaw Bay, and Lake Waubesa, according to the release.

Officials said recent heavy rain and flooding have increased lake levels and the order is being issued due to the potential for additional rainfall over the next 24 hours.

Under the slow/no wake order, boats must move as slowly as possible while still maintaining steering control and produce no wake, according to the release.

The order is in effect now through at least Monday, according to the release.

Officials said violators may be subject to citations or fines, and signs will be posted informing lake users about the order.